Nokia Test Drives Free Wi-Fi Service in London

Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has decided to trial a free Wi-Fi service in London as a part of its strategy to promote its latest series of Windows Phone 7 devices.

The company said that it is partnering with Wi-Fi services provider Spectrum Interactive for the free Wi-Fi trial, which will be completed by the end of December.

Nokia plans to give access to free Wi-Fi access in key areas in London including Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Bloomsbury, South Kensington, Marylebone, Mayfair and Victoria, The Inquirer reports.

Nokia said that neither a registration is required from users for the service beforehand nor would they require a user name and password. Users will be simply required to connect to the Wi-Fi network, named ‘Free Nokia Wi-Fi' in order to enjoy free internet.

The company clarified that personal information will not be collected during the Wi-Fi trials. The company said that users will have access to unlimited downloads but their download and upload speeds will be restricted to 1 Mbps and 500 Kbps per user respectively.

"We see Wi-Fi evolving into a free service in areas such as restaurants and it is because people are coming in for a relatively short period of time. In these cases, Wi-Fi is provided as a free service and it is being funded by a partner, sponsor or an advertising business model," said Simon Alberga, executive chairman of Spectrum Interactive.